By Jumah Kakomo
Lions are one of the most popular animal species in the world and one of Africa’s iconic species. However, lion populations across Africa have faced a sharp decline.
Edith Kabesiime, Wildlife Campaigns Manager at World Animal Protection says, “An evolving threat is lion poaching for bones to be used in Asian Traditional Medicine. Here at home, lions have been poached for parts used by traditional healers. They are also hunted for trophies in some African countries under hard-to-justify claims that the practice is good for conservation, economy and local livelihoods. This is in addition to threats such as human-wildlife conflict, natural prey decline, human-caused habitat loss and climate change. As humans, we are continuously and selfishly creating a world that is neither safe for us nor other creatures that are supposed to share it with us. This craziness needs to stop” Combining all these factors, there is no doubt, Africa’s lions are facing a crisis. With around 20,000 African lions left in the wild, they’re now officially classified as ‘vulnerable’ by International Union being Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
While Uganda has registered tremendous improvements in maintaining and even increasing the wildlife populations in the last 3 decades, the situation of lions remains precarious as numbers continue to plumet every year, and just a few hundreds remaining. Lion numbers continue to decline in Uganda’s protected areas. For example, Queen Elizabeth National Park has lost more than 20 lions (20%) in the last four years. In May 2010, five lions and 16 vultures in Queen Elizabeth National Park were found dead at Kasenyi about one kilometre from Hamukungu landing site on Lake George.In 2018, eleven (11) lions, eight of them cubs and three adult lionesses were found dead in Hamukungu in Queen Elizabeth National ParkIn September 2019, a so-called ambassador lion, Letaba, born in captivity at a lion breeding facility in South Africa, and had been living in captivity at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) was shot dead after it escaped from a truck in Western Uganda from a so-called conservation education show.In March 2021, six (6) lions were found dead in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The lion carcasses were found with most of their parts missing, pointing to poaching for parts for traditional medicine.In April 2022, three (3) lions – one adult and two sub adult lionesses were found dead at Kigabu Village in Katunguru, Rubirizi District.
The lions died of suspected electrocution as two of them were found stuck in in the Irungu Hotel electric fence.In April 2022 a UPDF soldier shot dead a stray lion which was later slaughtered and eaten by residents of Kobushera and Rwabaragi villages, in Kagadi District.
This rapid rate of loss is nothing, but a signal that the country is at the verge of losing all its lions and perhaps other big carnivores (leopard, wild dog and cheetah) if nothing is done to reverse the trend.Amidist this challenge, World animal protection urges Ugandan authorities not to consider adopting and promoting captive breeding of lions as one of the approaches to save the country’s lions.
“Uganda should also not go down the route of breeding lions in captivity for lion interaction experiences as breeding lions for such cruel practices is causes suffering. It has been proved that captive breeding of lions elsewhere in Africa has not served any conservation purpose. Therefore, it will be a huge mistake if Uganda chooses to tread this road. ” Says Edith Kabesiime.
This call came at an event organized by World Animal Protection in collaboration with the Water and Environment Media Network (WEMNET) to kick start activities in commemoration of the World Lion Day that is marked on 10th August every year. The event aimed at raising awareness on the plight of lions globally with a call to action to protect them in the wild.
Simon Takozekibi Nampindo Director at Wildlife conservation society says lions are becoming vulnerable, and firm actions need to be taken to quarantee thier welfare and sustainability.
Meanwhile Joad Baruku from Uganda Wildlife Authority says government is doing the needful to always protect the pride of lions and thier importance including other animals.
